Certain commonly used materials, such as optical displays, textiles, metals, stone, wood, leather, etc, are susceptible to scratches, abrasion, and soiling during routine use. In some instances, protective films or coatings may be applied to the surfaces of these materials in order to provide protection and enhance durability, performance and appearance.
UV-curable systems based on the polymerization of an acrylic resin have been used as protective coating compositions for a variety of surfaces. In some instances, it may be desirable to modify or enhance the performance of these coatings by introducing particular structures, such as fluorinated groups, into the polymeric network. Fluorinated groups can be incorporated into these compositions through the copolymerization of the acrylic resin with a low amount (<1%, w/w) of a fluorinated monomer, such as a fluorinated acrylate compound.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,132,861 (Kang et al. '861); U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,798 B1 (Kang et al. '798); U.S. Pat. No. 6,245,833 B1 (Kang et al. '833); U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,799 (Craig et al.) and Published PCT Application No. WO 99/57185 (Huang et al.) describes ceramer compositions containing blends of colloidal inorganic oxide particles, a curable binder precursor and certain fluorochemical compounds. These compositions are described as providing stain and abrasion resistant hardcoats in a single layer coating.
U.S. Pub. Appln. No. 2006/0014915 describes a composition comprising a non-fluorinated polyorganosiloxane fluid having an average of at least two unsaturated organic groups per molecule and a non-fluorinated crosslinking agent having an average of at least two silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms per molecule; a hydrosilylation catalyst; and a fluoroorganosilicone.
Although various protective coatings have been developed using fluorinated polymers, a need remains for improved coating compositions with better performance and longevity than existing systems.